Good design does not start with solutions, it starts with understanding the problem, and that understanding comes from the questions we ask.

"Never go into user research to prove a point, and never create goals that seek to justify a position or reinforce a perspective.”
‍_{Mike Kuniavsky, Observing the User Experience}

User research is about understanding user behaviors and pain points to design solutions that create real impact. However, experiences are not the same for everyone. People have different backgrounds, cultures, and ways of doing things. Product designers need to move beyond assumptions and ground design decisions in user research to create solutions that genuinely reflect user needs.

Why User Interviews Matter

One of the most common and popular ways to understand users is through in-depth interviews. These interviews help you learn about the end-to-end user journey, their mental models, the challenges they face, and how they currently deal with problems in their workflow. Instead of guessing what users need, user interviews allow you to hear directly from them, which leads to gaining insights that are meaningful.

When done well, user interviews can give you a deeper understanding of users, not just what they do, but also why and how they do it.

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Mistakes I Made in My First User Interviews

When I conducted user interviews for the first time, I expected to come away with clear pain points and useful insights. Instead, many of the conversations felt flat, and I could not do much with the answers I got.

I realized the issue was not the research participants. It was my approach. I was asking broad questions, missing chances to follow up, and sometimes focusing too much on hearing what I expected to hear. That experience taught me an important lesson: In-depth interviews are not just about asking questions. They are about asking the right questions, listening closely, and adapting in the moment.

Here are a few common mistakes beginners make in user interviews:

Mistake 1: Asking questions that are too broad

One of my early questions was, “do you have any difficulty using the iPhone keyboard?” The participant said no, and I moved on.

The problem was not their answer. It was my question. It was too broad and gave them very little to respond to. I also missed the chance to ask follow up questions that could have uncovered more detail.

Effective UX research questions focus on specific moments or behaviors, such as asking about a recent time typing felt frustrating or inconvenient.

Mistake 2: Sticking too closely to your interview guide

In another interview, I learned the participant used an Android phone, but I had only prepared questions for iPhone users. Instead of adapting, I let the conversation lose momentum.

Looking back, I still could have asked about their keyboard habits, frustrations, and behaviors. I did not need a perfect script for every scenario. I needed to stay flexible.

Good interviews require preparation, but they also require adapting to what the participant brings into the conversation.

Mistake 3: Not building enough rapport

Early on, I was so focused on getting through my questions that I did not spend enough time making participants feel comfortable.

That mattered more than I expected. In-depth interviews work best when they feel like real conversations. When people feel at ease, they are more likely to open up, reflect, and share honest answers that lead to deep insights.

Mistake 4: Looking for confirmation instead of learning

As I became more prepared, I ran into a different problem. Sometimes participants gave answers that went against what I expected, and I found myself thinking the interview was going off track.

But those moments were often the most valuable. A surprising answer might mean the problem is not as important as I thought, the idea is not worth building, or I am talking to the wrong audience, which is exactly the kind of insight that qualitative research is supposed to uncover.

What I Learned From My Early Interviews

Many beginners run into the same challenges. Looking back, a few lessons stand out:

• Do not go into interviews expecting participants to confirm your assumptions
• Set clear research goals before the conversation starts
• Listen closely, and leave room for follow up questions
• Build rapport so participants feel comfortable opening up
• Stay aware of your own biases throughout the interview
• Listen more than you speak, this is often where the best insights come from

Setting the Right Mindset Before Interviews

Before getting into how to write good UX questions, it is important to build the right mindset. If you already expect certain answers, then there is no point in spending time, effort, or money on interviews. The goal of each interview should be to learn something new.

When it comes to people, we are all different, and assuming that everyone thinks or behaves the same way does not make sense. These differences are exactly what make user research valuable, because they help you see problems from multiple perspectives.

It is also important to be clear about the research goals of your interview. Before you start, take some time to think about what you want to learn and write down your key objectives.

Active listening is one of the most important skills in user interviews. Your job is not to fill the space or prove yourself by talking. It is to listen closely, ask thoughtful questions, and respond with intention. This will encourage participants to open up and engage in conversation that is grounded to context.

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Asking Effective UX Research Questions

Successful user research is not about asking more questions, it is about asking better user interview questions. The goal is to help people talk about their previous experiences, not just their opinions or what they think they might do in the future.

Small shifts in wording can change the quality of what you learn. A non-specific question often leads to vague answers, while crafting questions that are well-framed can uncover specific user behaviors, frustrations, and decision-making patterns.

Open-Ended Questions

Good user research questions are usually open-ended and simple. These questions allow users to explain things in their own words instead of giving short or limited answers. This helps you understand their thoughts, behaviors, and experiences in more detail.

For example, instead of asking, “do you like this feature?” you can ask, “what do you think about this feature?” or “can you describe your experience using this feature?”

Open-ended questions create space for users to share more, which leads to better insights.

Questions About Real Experiences (Descriptive research questions)

Good questions focus on what users have actually done, not just what they think. Asking about real experiences makes it easier for users to recall specific situations and share meaningful details.

For example, instead of asking, “Do you find this feature easy to use?” you can ask, “Can you walk me through the last time you used this feature?”

This small change shifts the conversation from opinions to real behavior, which gives you more reliable insights.

Questions About their Behavior

Instead of asking users what they might do in the future, it is more useful to understand what they are doing right now. This helps you identify real patterns, habits, and workflows as emphasized in The Mom Test by Rob Fitzpatrick.

For example, instead of asking, “Would you use this feature?” you can ask, “How are you currently solving this problem?”

This helps you understand their current process, tools, and challenges, which is much more valuable for making design decisions.

Ask Follow-up Questions

Think about the difference between being questioned and being genuinely listened to. When a friend asks, “What happened next?” or “How did that feel?” it invites you to keep going, reflect more deeply, and share details you might not have mentioned otherwise.

That is the kind of dynamic strong user interviews aim to create. When questions feel too formal or transactional, like a job interview, people often default to short, surface level answers instead of opening up about the real experience.

Let’s be honest, users do not owe us anything. If we want people to open up, we need to build a human connection, listen closely, and respond with real curiosity.

According to Interviewing Users by Steve Portigal, probing questions as simple as “Why?”, “can you tell me more?”, or “what happened next?” allow for a deeper dive into the person’s experience. They move the conversation past surface level answers and reveal the details that often lead to the most meaningful conversation.

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Mistakes to Avoid During Interviews

1. Avoid Leading Questions and Closed Ended Questions

It is important to avoid leading questions in UX research. Leading questions suggest an answer and can influence the user’s response. This can result in biased insights that do not reflect the user’s real thoughts.

For example, instead of asking, “this feature is easy to use, right?” you can ask, “how was your experience using this feature?”

Using neutral language allows users to share honest feedback, which leads to more accurate and valuable insights.

2. Ask One Question at a Time

Asking multiple questions at a time can confuse users and affect their answers. It is better to keep questions simple and focused on one idea at a time. This helps users think clearly and give better responses.

3. Avoid Asking Hypothetical Questions

People are not good at predicting what they might do in the future. Asking hypothetical questions can lead to vague or unrealistic answers. Focusing on real behavior gives you more reliable insights.

For example, if you show someone a new feature on a fitness app and ask whether it would make them go to the gym more often, many people will say yes. But that kind of answer is speculative. What people say they might do is often shaped by assumptions, while what they have done in the past offers a much more reliable signal of real behavior.

4. Avoid Dominating the Conversation

It can be tempting to spend too much time talking about the product or a particular feature during an interview, especially when you are excited about the idea. But this is not a pitch. The goal is not to sell the product to users or explain why a feature matters. It is to understand the product user, their problems, how they currently solve them, and whether that particular feature is actually relevant to their specific scenarios.

Ask Better Questions, Build Better Products

For any UX researcher, asking good interview questions takes practice, patience, curiosity, and active listening. When we engage with users thoughtfully, we gain a clearer understanding of user preferences, behaviors, and pain points. Strong question design makes research methods more effective, produces more meaningful user insights, and helps teams build solutions that are truly user-centered.

Useful Resources

• How to Create the Best UX Research Questions
• A Guide to User Interview Questions w/Examples
• Just Enough Research / Erika Hall - UX Salon 2016

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